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MILWAUKEE (April 2, 2014) Participating Harley-Davidson® dealers and Dunlop® are teaming up to offer a $40 consumer mail-in rebate on a set of Harley-Davidson-branded Dunlop tires purchased between March 1 and April 30. The offer applies to a set of two new H-D/ Dunlop tires (excluding Police tires) and will be paid in the form of a $40 Harley-Davidson Gift Card. The gift card can be used at any authorized Harley-Davidson dealership or at h-d.com/ store. Dunlop tires are made in the USA and have been mounted as original equipment on Harley-Davidson motorcycles since 1984. Dunlop is recognized as one of the world leaders in motorcycle tire design, engineering and manufacturing excellence.

The H-D/Dunlop rebate offer applies to consumer purchases made exclusively at a participating Harley-Davidson dealership between March 1 and April 30, 2014. A form available from the participating Harley-Davidson dealer must be postmarked by June 15, 2014. Additional terms and conditions apply. See a participating Harley-Davidson dealer for complete details. To find a local Harley-Davidson dealer, visit h-d.com/dealer.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles and offers a complete line of Harley-Davidson® motorcycle parts, accessories, riding gear and apparel, and general merchandise. For more information, visit Harley-Davidson’s website at www.h-d.com.

Sturgis, SD (March 31, 2014) – The Sturgis Buffalo Chip® proudly announces that the custom 2014 Harley-Davidson® Street Glide built by participants of the Chip’sStudent Build Challenge received first place in the High School Build Open Class at the 27th annual Donnie Smith Bike Show this past Sunday, March 30. The Sturgis Brown High School students participating in the build had been working steadily since Jan. 6 under the instruction of the industry’s top professionals in order to complete customizations in time for this past weekend’s unveiling. The finished bike features a fully overhauled and customized motor for increased performance, a lowered stretched body and an eye-catching graffiti-themed paint job. It is also one of the first custom 2014 Street Glides in existence.

“The motorcycle these students created has absolutely blown away my expectations for this year’s bike build project,” says Rod Woodruff, President of the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. “Moreover, these young students created a machine that wowed the industry’s top builders at the Donnie Smith Show. That’s something the students, the school, the community and all those involved in the Student Build Challenge should be very, very proud of.”

2014 marked the first year the Student Build worked on a new-year motorcycle sponsored by Black Hills Harley-Davidson, and the students found customizing a brand new Street Glide to be one of their largest hurdles. The Motor Company had made drastic changes between the 2013 and 2014 models, which meant most of the custom parts for the bike had yet to be created.

This was also the first year the bike build program placed the same focus on the motorcycle’s performance as it did its appearance. The bike features a Trask turbo system with a 10:1 compression ratio, Dave Mackie Engineering hemi Harley heads, CP Carrillo dome pistons and performance parts from Feuling Parts. The class anticipates that together these parts will work to produce 175 horsepower once the motorcycle has enough miles on it to safely run a dyno test.

“If somebody’s a motorhead, they’re going to get really excited about the performance of this motorcycle,” says Student Build Challenge mentor, Keith Terry of Terry Components. “Those who care more about how the bike looks will love it too. We’ve got both elements going for our bike this year.”

Custom stretched body parts allowed the students to create a longer, lower-sitting motorcycle. They replaced the 19-inch front wheel with a 26-inch from R.C. Components and swapped the standard black seat for a buff leather seat made by Howard Knight. Finally, the students took the bike to Ian Strachan Designs to give it a striking Ferrari-red graffiti paint job.

“It was hard for some of the students to comprehend just how amazing the end product was going to be,” says Sturgis Brown High School instructor, Chad Hedderman. “But once everything came together and the students stood next to their bike at this renowned bike show, it finally hit them that they were part of something really big.”

The next stop for the award-winning Student Build Challenge bike is the Black Hills Motorcycle Show in Rapid City, SD, April 12-13. The bike will later appear in Easyriders Magazine, where it will receive its own photo spread and feature-length article. On Aug. 4, the bike will be auctioned off during the Sturgis Rally in support of the Buffalo Chip’s 7th annual Legends Ride® charity event.

Students worked closely with industry veterans, Keith Terry of Terry Components and Randy and Nick Cramer of Dakota V-Twin, along with high school instructors, Chad Hedderman and Bill Johnson, to learn the state-of-the-art techniques needed to customize their 2014 Street Glide. The bike build project taught students important values and life lessons while vastly increasing their technical knowledge. The skills learned will give these students an overall advantage should any decide to pursue a career in motorcycle fabrication or customization.

The Student Build Challenge is a groundbreaking collaboration between the Sturgis Buffalo Chip, Sturgis Brown High School, Black Hills Harley-Davidson, Terry Components, Dakota V-Twin and a large group of industry-leading parts sponsors.

The Sturgis Buffalo Chip® continues its commitment to education and the growth of South Dakota’s motorcycle industry with its fifth annual Student Build Challenge.The program utilizes award-winning veteran custom builders, Keith Terry and Randy and Nick Cramer, to serve as instructors and mentors to students customizing a stock Harley-Davidson® motorcycle. The goal is to develop students’ skills and knowledge in a real-world experience they can use after graduation. Throughout the years, the custom creations produced in the Student Build Challenge have received much acclaim at prestigious motorcycle competitions. This year’s Student Build Challenge bike will be auctioned on Aug. 4, 2014 in support of the Buffalo Chip’s Legends Ride® charity event.

The Sturgis Buffalo Chip

Since 1981, the Sturgis Buffalo Chip® has provided nine days of epic live music experiences and exciting activities for fans from around the globe. The family-owned and operated Sturgis Buffalo Chip is host to the Sturgis Rally’s cornerstone event, known as the Largest Music Festival in Motorcycling™ and The Best Party Anywhere™. Concerts are free with camping. Passes grant access to music industry’s hottest stars, the Bikini Beach Swim Paradise, 25 bars, mouth-watering food and beverage vendors and thrilling exhibits. The Sturgis Buffalo Chip offers clean, well maintained facilities, private showers, cabins, RVs, paved roads and more. Outrageous events such as unforgivably hot bikini contests and jaw-dropping daredevil stunts are a few of the many daily spectacles unique to the Chip. The famed creek-fed 580-acre camping resort is located three miles east of Sturgis, SD. Now in its 33rd year, this event is one of the few remaining independent music festivals in the world. The Buffalo Chip is a festival experience like no other. More details are available at www.BuffaloChip.com.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (April 1, 2014) – Zero Motorcycles, the global leader in the electric motorcycle industry, today announced a new program to support law enforcement agencies. In response to growing interest and demand from police departments, Zero is offering 100% electric patrol motorcycles for a 3-day evaluation period, allowing officers to experience the advantages in their own jurisdictions.

“Over a dozen departments have added Zero motorcycles to their patrol fleets in the last six months,” said John Lloyd, Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Zero Motorcycles. “The feedback from our law enforcement customers is extremely positive, so we are looking at ways to make it easier for agencies to see for themselves how well Zero motorcycles can work in a wide variety of applications.”

“The addition of the Zero motorcycles to our patrol fleet is a huge benefit. The bikes are quiet, cost effective and ‘green,’ making them an ideal mode of transportation for our officers,” said Ron Levine, Chief of Police for the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. “In addition to general police duties, the motorcycles will be used for patrol in the parking garages and lots, which can be targets for auto burglars. Because the bikes are almost silent, they can patrol an area almost undetected, giving the police officers an element of stealth.”

“We like to use the Zero when patrolling parks and rural areas. It’s environmentally friendly for us and keeps the noise down…one, for the neighbors, and two, it allows the ability to sneak up on people,” said Sgt. David Ball of Scotts Valley Police Department.

Stealth and the element of surprise are common themes expressed by the officers who have used the motorcycles in the field. Departments are seeing performance and economic benefits, as well: instant torque from zero RPM, a high degree of maneuverability, no need to shift gears, maintenance-free powertrain, and about a penny-per-mile operating costs adding up to long-term savings.

For more information on Zero Motorcycles or to apply for the 3-day evaluation program, visit zeromotorcycles.com. Note that Zero Motorcycles Police and Security models are available exclusively to authorized organizations. Demo motorcycles and the 3-day evaluation program are subject to availability, and certain terms and conditions apply. Contact Zero Motorcycles at (888) 786-9376, ext. 105, or FleetSales@zeromotorcycles.com for details.

About Zero Motorcycles
Zero Motorcycles is committed to transforming the motorcycling experience by bringing to market highly innovative electric motorcycles that offer exceptional value and performance. Zero is powered by innovation, driven by passion, guided by integrity, and measured by results. Through extensive research, insight and experience, Zero combines the art and science of motorcycle development to create and manufacture products that excite consumers and inspire brand loyalty. Zero is determined to be the preeminent global electric motorcycle company.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 15, 2014) – Danny Eslick and the #69 Riders Discount Racing team made history by becoming the first Triumph team to win the Daytona 200 from the pole position. Eslick is the first Triumph rider to win the race since Gary Nixon in 1967 and the pole position since Paul Smart in 1971.

“Gary Nixon was the last to win this race on a Triumph so this is pretty special. It doesn’t get much better than that,” said Eslick. “Whether I led out of the chicane or if I was fourth out of the chicane I knew I could lead at the stripe. Hats off to the Riders Discount crew for an awesome motorcycle.”

Eslick, of Broken Arrow, Okla., led 44 of the 200-mile race’s 57 laps. His margin of victory was an incredible 10.975 seconds.

“Pit stops for the Daytona 200 are the most important thing,” said the two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike champion. “You can’t have bad stops and we had great pit stops.”

“Danny and the Riders Discount team ran an incredible race. It was absolutely amazing to watch them make history,” said Greg Heichelbech, CEO of Triumph North America. “In addition to becoming the first Triumph to win the Daytona 200 from the pole, four of the top ten are Triumphs. Congratulations to all of the Triumph riders and teams for a great race at Daytona.”

A Triumph previously won the Daytona 200 three times. Don Burnett won in 1962, Buddy Elmore won in 1966, and Gary Nixon won in 1967. The first Triumph Daytona production motorcycle appeared in 1967, the Tiger T100R Daytona, as a tribute to Elmore’s victory.

This is the third time that a Triumph won the pole for the Daytona 200. Gene Romero was fast qualifier in 1970 with his 750cc Triumph Trident, and Paul Smart backed it up in 1971.

Four of the top ten finishers rode the Triumph Daytona 675. They include:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 14, 2014) – Two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike champion Danny Eslick and the #69 Riders Discount Triumph team won the pole position for the 73rd running of the Daytona 200 at Daytona International Speedway. It was the first time a Triumph won the pole for this prestigious race in 43 years, when Paul Smart rode a Triumph Trident 750 in 1971.

“Winning the pole at Daytona is always special, but this one is really sweet since it’s the first Daytona 200 pole for Triumph since 1971,” said Eslick. “Everything just clicked with the bike, the team, and working the draft. It was a smoking hot lap for sure.”

The fastest lap Eslick turned in with his #69 Triumph Daytona 675R was 1:49.292, nearly three-quarters of a second faster than the second place qualifier. His top speed was 182.629mph on the 675cc machine.

“Congratulations to Danny and the Riders Discount team for their achievement, and to all of the Triumph riders and teams,” said Greg Heichelbech, CEO of Triumph North America. “It’s a great feeling to see such a strong showing of Triumph’s at Daytona. We’re looking forward to a great race.”

This is the third time that a Triumph won the pole for the Daytona 200. Gene Romero was fast qualifier in 1970 with his 750cc Triumph Trident, and Paul Smart backed it up in 1971. While the machines that Eslick, Smart and Romero rode are separated by more than 40 years of technology, all three machines feature Triumph’s signature inline triple engine.

“We had a solid day and the team’s really pumped up about the race tomorrow,” said DiSalvo. “It’s fantastic that so many Triumph’s are in the top ten today. I think we’re going to see even more Triumph’s in the top ten tomorrow during the race.”

Qualifying seventh is British Supersport competitor Luke Stapleford of Leicestershire, England. Stapleford and his # 68 Profile Racing team traveled to Daytona because “This is a nice chance to get in a bit of riding before the British Supersport season.” Stapleford continued, “The race distance is quite difficult mentally. A top six is the aim in the race and I’d class that as a job well done.”

There are six other Triumph riders in the Saturday, March 15, race at Daytona International Speedway. Those riders and their qualifying positions are:

12. #50 Bobby Fong, Latus Motors/Castrol/Triumph

19. #21 Elena Myers, Apex Manufacturing/Castrol/Triumph

21. #15 Steve Rapp, D&D Cycles/Castrol/Triumph

23. #42 Kenny Riedmann, RRM/Castrol/Triumph

39. #71 Lee Farmer, Apex Race Services

40. #62 Shaun Summers, D&D Cycles/Castrol/Triumph

A Triumph has won the Daytona 200 three times. Don Burnett won in 1962, Buddy Elmore won in 1966, and Gary Nixon won in 1967. The first Triumph Daytona production motorcycle appeared in 1967, the Tiger T100R Daytona, as a tribute to Elmore’s victory.

Watch the Daytona 200 live at the newly launched fanschoice.tv. Pre-race ceremonies begin at 12:00pm EST and the race at 1:00pm EST.

Successful brands often seek out ways to expand their profits by licensing their name to be used on other unrelated products. Motorcycle companies are no different. So it’s no surprise that a company that’s been around as long as Harley-Davidson (est. 1903) would have licensed it’s name and logo on a few products that are unrelated to motorcycling.

A few years ago, the brand sold “Harley Barbies” and they were a big hit. A few of those are floating around Ebayland and selling for more than the original price tag.

There are, however, some products that we’re sure the brand managers didn’t quite think out. Here are a couple that have us scratching our collective heads over.

1. HOT ROAD cologne….or specifically, “EAU DE TOILETTE.” First off, what biker ever used the phrase, “eau de toilette” and lived to tell about it? Picture this; You walk past a line of bikes parked outside a road house bar, somewhere along a lonely stretch of highway in southern Arizona or New Mexico. The place smells of sweat, leather urine, grease and stale beer. You sit down at the bar and order a beer. A big hairy biker wearing a dirty, patch covered leather vest, no shirt sits down beside you. You catch a whiff of something different..something exotic. Something hot… “Excuse me sir” you say, turning to the grizzled road veteran. “Is that “Hot Road, eau de toilette you’re wearing?” They find you 3 days later, stuffed in the men’s toilet, smelling of sweat, grease, stale beer and urine.

But, on the other hand, if you’re on a Ducati, then you’ll probably be wearing this fragrance.

Then there is the Harley-Davidson wine cooler. Another product that we’re thinking was way ahead of its’ time. Produced in the mid-1980’s, these sophisticated drinks for the softer side of the hard-core Harley rider never quite caught on. Imagine a similar scenario from the previous example where you walk into that same bar, and order a Harley-Davidson “wine cooler.” We’re pretty sure there’s a toilet stall, stale beer, sweat and urine in your immediate future.

What products did we miss? Comment in the section below and if they’re weird, we’ll add them to the story.